Repotting Christmas cactus

2/3/2009 · by · in Christmas cactus, Garden Review, houseplant care

Our Christmas cactus has roots growing up out of the soil. Before we re-pot we would like to know how long do the roots get and is it okay to pot the cactus in a pot big enough to accommodate the plant for its life or should we pot to it’s current size and keep re-potting as it grows?

Christmas cactus do not have a large root system and they prefer to be slightly potbound. It’s better to replant in a pot that is 1 inch larger than the current pot and keep re-potting as it grows. Using too large of a container can lead to waterlogged soil which will happen when there are not enough roots to absorb the soil moisture fast enough. As a result, the roots will stay wet longer, receive less oxygen and rot.

more info…http://hortchat.com/info/propagate-christmas-cactus

more info…http://hortchat.com/info/christmas-cactus

16 Responses

Ronald

11/21/2017 at 11:16 am · Reply →

I have my moms 60 year old Christmas cactus. It is about 3 feet across and very large. It has a very thick Woody base probably around 1-1 1/2” thick, several of them. The green foliage branches all from that. Can I severely cut back into that Woody base and discard the rest and wait on the green foliage to start shaping back up.? I need to do something with it because it is getting so large. Can you give me suggestions?
deborah

10/26/2017 at 12:55 pm · Reply →

Hi Hanna,

I have Christmas cactus shots in water, they fell off the main plant. They have long roots on them now and the shoots have decided to bloom, when can I repot it?
mary

5/14/2015 at 3:27 pm · Reply →

My Christmas cactus is blooming now. I’ve read not to repot until after blooms in spring. It has been dormant and just started budding. Should I wait and for how long.

Hi
Repot your Christmas cactus after bloom, should take about a month.
ilena

6/18/2014 at 12:09 pm · Reply →

Enjoyed reading the other questions and answers about the Christmas Cactus. Very informative and helpful to me, also.
Hopefully this site will continue for a long time.
I know where to go now if I have questions about plants.
Angela Ramey

5/11/2014 at 7:03 am · Reply →

Planting water rooted cuttings
I have several cuttings from a christmas cactus. I have rooted them in water and it is growing like crazy. The roots are full in the water.. What is the best way to put them in a pot to continue growing without killing them?

Hi Angela
Plant your Christmas cactus cutting in a well drained soil. You can buy a cactus or succulent mix or make your own by mixing 2 parts of soil potting soil with 1 part of vermiculite, perlite or sand. I would plant them, water well and wait until top inch of soil is dry before watering again. The initial wet soil will help the roots acclimate to the soil. Place the plant outdoors in a shady location for the summer. Once it shows signs of new growth you can move it to semi-shade.
Sharon

2/18/2014 at 8:42 am · Reply →

The soil of my Christmas Cactus smells moldy………should I repot or what?

Hi Sharon
Soil can have a moldy smell because it is slowly decaying. You’ll notice it more indoors and when the soil is wet. If the soil is soggy or has a visible mold growing on the surface, then you may want to repot. Otherwise, I would leave it and let the soil dry out between watering.
Donna

9/7/2013 at 11:37 pm · Reply →

WateringI have my Great Grandmother/Grandmother’s Christmas Cactus and they have both passed away and I don’t know if it’s best to water my plant from the top or just let it sit in a saucer of water for a short period of time.

I also have a Jade and wonder the same about it. I have tried to do searches on Google and it seems no one ever addresses if plants should be watered from the top or bottom. I really hope you can help me, as these plants mean the world to me and I don’t want to lose them. Thank you for any help you can give me.

Hi Donna
Water both Christmas cactus and Jade plants from the top. Don’t let them sit in water. It is recommended that certain plants like African violets should be watered from the bottom to avoid water on the fuzzy leaves.
DOROTHY

5/9/2013 at 6:40 am · Reply →

HI
I BOUGHT ASMALL XMAS CACTUS BEFORE XMAS NEWLY BUDDED, MY PROBLEM IT GETS RINKLY AND PIECES FEEL BRITTLE AND DRY. I REPOTTED AGAIN MOIST DIRT, IT CAME BACK?
ANY HELP BE GREAT

Hi Dorothy
Repotting was a good idea. Be careful not to overwater the plant; that can cause root damage making the plant wrinkle and cause leaf drop. Let the soil dry out between watering.
Sally Knox

7/22/2012 at 9:55 pm · Reply →

I have a very old Christmas Cactus that was passed on to me by my great aunt. It is in a plastic 7 inch pot. The plant is huge… maybe 2 ft across and it hangs about 2 ft down. The soil in the pot is hard as a rock. It absorbs the water I give it weekly and blooms several times a year. I’ve had it for 5 years. The stems of the plant are hard and bark-like next to the soil. Lately, some of the branches have felt limp. Some of the most recent leaves have shriveled. But overall, it just keeps plugging along with very little thought from me. I would like to repot this plant. I have bought a pot 1 inch larger than the current one. I’ve bought soil for succulent plants. Any advise? Should I maintain the same soil level as it currently has? Meaning, not to cover any part of the plant that is currently not under soil? Should I score the roots? If so, pls tell me exactly what scoring is. My goal is to move it from one pot to the other with very little disruption. Thanks for your help in advance!

Hi Sally
Older Christmas cactus do not take well to transplanting. Repot the shallow root system at the same soil level that it is growing without disruptimg it too much.
Scoring the roots is to notch or scratch the rootball with either a knife or shears. This is done when you have a massive, tight rootball. In larger plants you can even cut into the rootball to separate /divide the plant.
Hannah

8/11/2011 at 7:13 am · Reply →

Repotting
My mother has had a little christmas cactus for many years, but the poor thingâ€™s been a bit neglected. Itâ€™s dry looking, the soil is hard, and hasnâ€™t bloomed in quite a while. My mother thinks we should move it to a larger pot, but what Iâ€™ve been reading about is unclear on how/why to do such. Any tips on how to get this poor thing lively again? Thank you!

Hi Hannah
Spring is a good time to repot your Christmas cactus. If the roots are crowded put it in a pot that is 1â€³ larger, if not use the same size pot. Plant in a porous soil mix by adding 1 part peat moss or sand to 3 parts potting soil mix. You can also use potting mix for succulent plants..
Kathy Urdahl

8/11/2011 at 7:08 am · Reply →

Repot old Christmas cactus
May 23rd, 2010 at 9:02 am Â· Reply Â· Edit
Divide an old Christmas cactus
I have a 50+ year-old Christmas Cactus. The stems are woody. Can you actually break up the root ball and transplant them into several pots or must one just take cuttings and repot?
Kathy

Hi Kathy
Dividing the rootball of an old fragile cactus can be risky as it is difficult to handle and recovery is much slower if at all. You may loose the plant. Probably not a good idea. Some have had success dividing younger plants. Propagating from cuttings is the easier and safer way to go.
Kris

7/14/2011 at 5:44 pm · Reply →

Reroot cutting
My christmas cactus had a very large branch that broke .. how do I save it?

Hi Kris
You can root it to make a new plant. see http://hortchat.com/info/propagate-christmas-cactus
Rosanne

3/27/2011 at 1:57 pm · Reply →

Repotting
My Christmas Cactus is about 8 years old. It seems pot bound. Should I separate it and plant it in two pots or simply replant into one larger pot?

Hi Rosanne
There is always a debate about repotting older plants as to whether they can take the stress. Your Christmas cactus is, I guess, middle-aged and probably will endure transplanting and spring is a good time to do this. Repot your Christmas cactus in a container that is 1â€³ larger. If you choose to divide the plant make sure the container isnâ€™t too big for the rootball-about 1â€³ larger than the rootball. Also keep in mind that dividing will be more stressful to the plant.
admin

3/27/2011 at 1:45 pm · Reply →

Soil mix for Christmas cactus
Hi can you tell me what ready made store brand potting soil you recommend. I would not be good at trying to mix it myself.

You can mix 1 part peat moss or sand to 3 parts houseplant soil mix to make a well-drained soil. A store bought cactus mix will also work well.
Debbie Salleng

3/27/2011 at 10:32 am · Reply →

Soil mix
My Christmas Catcus came in a plastic pot, and looks like it developing new foilage, and needs reporting. Is it okay to put in a another resin or plastic pot? Can I use cactus soil that I have already used for another cactus (not Christmas catcus)?

Hi Debbie
It’s ok to repot in a plastic pot. But don’t be too hasty to repot. Christmas cactus blooms best when pot bound.
Repot your Christmas cactus in porous soil mix by adding 1 part peat moss or sand to 3 parts potting soil mix. You can also use potting mix for succulent plants, bromliads or cactii. Don’t repot in a larger pot, keep it the same size.
Alice

10/31/2009 at 11:48 am · Reply →

Okay, my Christmas Cactus has wrinkly leaves and a lot of buds on it right now, I put a stick down in it to see if it is wet and it does not appear to be, but I have tried so hard not to over water I am afraid to water. I also had it out side for the summer and the leaves are also sort of yellow with red included. Did I abuse my plant? Help Please

Hi Alice
If the soil is dry give your Christmas cactus a good watering. Water so that it flows from the bottom of the container. Its better to give the plant a good soaking so that all the roots will drink than lots of small waterings which will not water all the roots. Once the soil is wet, don’t water for a week or so depending on when your soil dries out.
When the plant is done blooming and will go dormant in winter, water very little, just enough to keep it moist.